Brakes locking up

i6chick

i6chick

It's all about leverage
Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
409
Brakes have been making a funny noise lately. Similar to the noise when you're sitting at a stop light & you lightly let up on the brakes (like a binding, muffled crunching sound) except its more noticeable & almost slightly pulsates. As soon as I heard the noise I checked my fluid, it was a little low, I topped it off. Took a look yesterday, seemed lower than where I had left it. I can't see any leaky calipers or anything though, so not sure where it might be going?

Rotors, calipers, wheel bearings, all the hardware was replaced less than a year ago. I went slotted and good quality.

Power steering isnt any noisier than usual. Truck pulls left a bit. Damn thing has always pulled in one direction or another though.

On my lunch break a little bit ago the left wheel locked up. Entirely once, then continued to drag a bit, it frees up after driving and pulling up on the pedal but any braking for a stop light and it locks up again. Hasn't locked up at random or regular speeds yet though. When I stopped to look at it I turned my drivers side out for a close up and heard a clicking noise. No brake smell surprisingly.. Im wondering if I have a bad wheel bearing? Would I feel it like that in the pedal? I just ordered the flexible hose for the left side.

I'm unfortunately at work so I can't look at it, and we have a full shop so I can't throw my guys on it... all i can do is order parts and feel like Im making progress towards fixing it by posting about it lol.

I have an hour and 15 min drive home. How likely to kill someone on the road am I? And what do you guys think I'm looking at? Bearing? Hose? Caliper? Air? lol

The things been back on the road less than 48 hours since my last ordeal. Im bout to buy a Ford lol.
 
Just had a chance to run out and look for a sec, rotor is totally trashed lol. And of course they're not OEM and I forgot who we went through to get them. Do rotors have to be the same one each side or can I call car quest and run a different one?
 
I'd start with ABS unit and proportioning valve... and you prob could get away with two different rotors, but may pull one way or the other.
 
Well I dont have any ABS lights or anything on.. maybe that doesnt matter though. I can't remember where I got my damned rotors. gahh. Thanks for actually replying though lol.

I'll check into the prop valve when I get outta work.
 
While it's not locked up right now I think Im gonna put some grips on it and bleed the remainder to the wheel out. This should be an interesting 60 miles. Anybody want to buy a Dodge with a powerstroke?? I'm in the market for a Ford lol.
 
i6chick said:
Anybody want to buy a Dodge with a powerstroke??
Click to expand...

Are you serious? :hehe:

If the rotor is trashed, I would start looking at the caliper. I would imagine the dust seals around the plunger are shot and they have sand or rocks in them that won't allow them to move back in after pressure is removed...thus keeping the pad on the rotor. My rears did this on my 02 and I had to replace everything just before I sold it. Try pulling the caliper and see how easy it is to push them back inward. If it takes a cee clamp and a cheater bar, they are shot.
 
4x4dually said:
Are you serious? :hehe:

If the rotor is trashed, I would start looking at the caliper. I would imagine the dust seals around the plunger are shot and they have sand or rocks in them that won't allow them to move back in after pressure is removed...thus keeping the pad on the rotor. My rears did this on my 02 and I had to replace everything just before I sold it. Try pulling the caliper and see how easy it is to push them back inward. If it takes a cee clamp and a cheater bar, they are shot.
Click to expand...

Thank you for replacing said brakes hehe
 
No, lol I wasn't serious about the Powerstroke in a Dodge part. But I'd rather have a Ford with a Cummins at this point I think. I have every stereotypical Dodge "problem" with my truck. Im over it. I'll manually lock my hubs at this point, I dont care!
 
Got it. lol. Waiting on parts meow. Hopefully after I get off I'll have enough day light and the right parts. Maybe I'll have my truck running for more than 48 hour incriments this week.
 
Not saying its the issue, but I've had a similar issue with an 03 where the master cylinder rod gets worn, and it doesn't release completely, and sticks the brakes. There is actually a "revision" through Chrysler for the "newer" master is a hardened rod.
I wanna say it was like 450 for the new setup, but did fix the issue. On a side note of that, the truck kept eating power steering pumps because of the constant pressure due to it being hydraulic assist...
But I would check the slider pins first.
 
Wouldn't that have an effect on both sides though? It's only my drivers wheel. I'm just gonna replace the caliper, pad, rotor, hose and bleed it. Take it for a ride and if it starts eating my new rotor I'm cuss my truck for a few mins then start on the prop valve.
 
I had this same exact thing happen to me except the wheel locked up and rotor got so hot it caught on fire replaced everything out side the firewall lines calipers everything and the portioning valve inside the hood still nothing turned out being the master cylinder I would try taking it off a good strip and clean possibly soak and blow it out with air bench bleed and reassemble unless of course u have money to throw at it then just buy another one hope this helps
 
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